donal grant-第8节

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〃But　there's　been　sic　a　heap　o'　things　f'un'　oot　sin'　syne；　i'　the
min'　o'　man；　as　weel　's　i'　the　warl'　ootside；〃　said　Andrew；　〃that
sic　a　language　wad　be　mair　like　a　bairn's　tongue　nor　a　mither's；　I'm
thinkin'；　whan　set　against　a'　'at　wad　be　to　speyk　aboot！〃

〃Ye're　verra　richt　there；　I　dinna　doobt。　　But　hoo　easy　wad　it　be　for
ilk　ane　to　bring　in　the　new　word　he　wantit；　haein'　eneuch　common
afore　to　explain　't　wi'！　　Afore　lang　the　language　wad　hae　intil　't
ilka　word　'at　was　worth　haein'　in　ony　language　'at　ever　was　spoken
sin'　the　toor　o'　Babel。〃

〃Eh；　sirs；　but　it's　dreidfu'　to　think　o'　haein'　to　learn　sae
muckle！〃　said　the　old　woman。　〃I'm　ower　auld　an'　dottlet！〃

Her　husband　laughed　again。

〃I　dinna　see　what　ye　hae　to　lauch　at！〃　she　said；　laughing　too。
〃Ye'll　be　dottlet　yersel'　gien　ye　live　lang　eneuch！〃

〃I'm　thinkin'；〃　said　Andrew；　〃but　I　dinna　ken'at　it　maun　be　a
man's　ain　wyte　gien　age　maks　him　dottlet。　　Gien　he's　aye　been
haudin'　by　the　trowth；　I　dinna　think　he'll　fin'　the　trowth；　hasna
hauden　by　him。But　what　I　was　lauchin'　at　was　the　thoucht　o'
onybody　bein'　auld　up　there。　　We'll　a'　be　yoong　there；　lass！〃

〃It　sall　be　as　the　Lord　wulls；〃　returned　his　wife。

〃It　sall。　　We　want　nae　mair；　an'　eh；　we　want　nae　less！〃　responded
her　husband。

So　the　evening　wore　away。　　The　talk　was　to　the　very　mind　of　Donal；
who　never　loved　wisdom　so　much　as　when　she　appeared　in　peasant…garb。
In　that　garb　he　had　first　known　her；　and　in　the　form　of　his　mother。

〃I　won'er；〃　said　Doory　at　length；　〃'at　yoong　Eppy　's　no　puttin'　in
her　appearance！　　I　was　sure　o'　her　the　nicht：　she　hasna　been　near　's
a'　the　week！〃

The　cobbler　turned　to　Donal　to　explain。　　He　would　not　talk　of　things
their　guest　did　not　understand；　that　would　be　like　shutting　him　out
after　taking　him　in！

〃Yoong　Eppy　's　a　gran'child；　sirthe　only　ane　we　hae。　　She's　a　weel
behavet　lass；　though　ta'en　up　wi'　the　things　o'　this　warl'　mair　nor
her　grannie　an'　me　could　wuss。　　She's　in　a　place　no　far　frae
hereno　an　easy　ane；　maybe；　to　gie　satisfaction　in；　but　she's　duin'
no　that　ill。〃

〃Hoot；　Anerew！　she's　duin'　jist　as　well　as　ony　lassie　o'　her　years
could　in　justice　be　expeckit；〃　interposed　the　grandmother。　〃It's
seldom　the　Lord　'at　sets　auld　heid　upo'　yoong　shoothers。〃

The　words　were　hardly　spoken　when　a　light　foot　was　heard　coming　up
the　stair。

〃But　here　she　comes　to　answer　for　hersel'！〃　she　added　cheerily。

The　door　of　the　room　opened；　and　a　good…looking　girl　of　about
eighteen　came　in。

〃Weel；　yoong　Eppy；　hoo　's　a'　wi'　ye？〃　said　the　old　man。

The　grandmother's　name　was　Elspeth；　the　grand…daughter's　had
therefore　always　the　prefix。

〃Brawly；　thank　ye；　gran'father；〃　she　answered。　〃Hoo　's　a'　wi'
yersel'？〃

〃Ow；　weel　cobblet！〃　he　replied。

〃Sit　ye　doon；〃　said　the　grandmother；　〃by　the　spark　o'　fire；　the
nicht　's　some　airy　like。〃

〃Na；　grannie；　I　want　nae　fire；〃　said　the　girl。　〃I　hae　run　a'　the
ro'd　to　get　a　glimp'　o'　ye　'afore　the　week　was　oot。〃

〃Hoo　's　things　gaein'　up　at　the　castel？〃

〃Ow；　sic…like　's　usualonly　the　hoosekeeper　's　some　dowy；　an'　that
puts　mair　upo'　the　lave　o'　's：　whan　she's　weel；　she's　no　ane　to
spare　hersel'or　ither　fowk　aither！I　wadna　care；　gien　she　wud　but
lippen　til　a　body！〃　concluded　young　Eppy；　with　a　toss　of　her　head。

〃We　maunna　speyk　evil　o'　dignities；　yoong　Eppy！〃　said　the　cobbler；
with　a　twinkle　in　his　eye。

〃Ca'　ye　mistress　Brookes　a　dignity；　gran'father！〃　said　the　girl；
with　a　laugh　that　was　nowise　rude。

〃I　do；〃　he　answered。　〃Isna　she　ower　ye？　　Haena　ye　to　du　as　she　tells
ye？　'Atween　her　an'　you　that's　eneuch：　she's　ane　o'　the　dignities
spoken　o'。〃

〃I　winna　dispute　it。　　But；　eh；　it's　queer　wark　yon'er！〃

〃Tak　ye　care；　yoong　Eppy！　we　maun　haud　oor　tongues　aboot　things
committit　til　oor　trust。　　Ane　peyt　to　serve　in　a　hoose　maunna　tre't
the　affairs　o'　that　hoose　as　gien　they　war　her　ain。〃

〃It　wad　be　weel　gien　a'body　about　the　hoose　was　as　partic'lar　as　ye
wad　hae　me；　gran'father！〃

〃Hoo's　my　lord；　lass？〃

〃Ow；　muckle　the　sameaye　up　the　stair　an'　doon　the　stair　the
forepairt　o'　the　nicht；　an'　maist　inveesible　a'　day。〃

The　girl　cast　a　shy　glance　now　and　then　at　Donal；　as　if　she　claimed
him　on　her　side；　though　the　older　people　must　be　humoured。　　Donal
was　not　too　simple　to　understand　her：　he　gave　her　look　no　reception。
Bethinking　himself　that　they　might　have　matters　to　talk　about；　he
rose；　and　turning　to　his　hostess；　said；

〃Wi'　yer　leave；　gudewife；　I　wad　gang　to　my　bed。　　I　hae　traivelt　a
maitter　o'　thirty　mile　the　day　upo'　my　bare　feet。〃

〃Eh；　sir！〃　she　answered；　〃I　oucht　to　hae　considert　that！Come；
yoong　Eppy；　we　maun　get　the　gentleman's　bed　made　up　for　him。〃

With　a　toss　of　her　pretty　head；　Eppy　followed　her　grandmother　to　the
next　room；　casting　a　glance　behind　her　that　seemed　to　ask　what　she
meant　by　calling　a　lad　without　shoes　or　stockings　a　gentleman。　　Not
the　less　readily　or　actively；　however；　did　she　assist　her
grandmother　in　preparing　the　tired　wayfarer's　couch。　　In　a　few
minutes　they　returned；　and　telling　him　the　room　was　quite　ready　for
him；　Doory　added　a　hope　that　he　would　sleep　as　sound　as　if　his　own
mother　had　made　the　bed。

He　heard　them　talking　for　a　while　after　the　door　was　closed；　but　the
girl　soon　took　her　leave。　　He　was　just　falling　asleep　in　the　luxury
of　conscious　repose；　when　the　sound　of　the　cobbler's　hammer　for　a
moment　roused　him；　and　he　knew　the　old　man　was　again　at　work　on　his
behalf。　　A　moment　more　and　he　was　too　fast　asleep　for　any　Cyclops'
hammer　to　wake　him。




CHAPTER　VII。

A　SUNDAY。

Notwithstanding　his　weariness　Donal　woke　early；　for　he　had　slept
thoroughly。　　He　rose　and　dressed　himself；　drew　aside　the　little
curtain　that　shrouded　the　window；　and　looked　out。　　It　was　a　lovely
morning。　　His　prospect　was　the　curious　old　main　street　of　the　town。
The　sun　that　had　shone　into　it　was　now　shining　from　the　other　side；
but　not　a　shadow　of　living　creature　fell　upon　the　rough　stones！
Yesthere　was　a　cat　shooting　across　them　like　the　culprit　he
probably　was！　　If　there　was　a　garden　to　the　house；　he　would　go　and
read　in　the　fresh　morning　air！

He　stole　softly　through　the　outer　room；　and　down　the　stair；　found
the　back…door　and　a　water…butt；　then　a　garden　consisting　of　two　or
three　plots　of　flowers　well　cared　for；　and　ended　his　discoveries
with　a　seat　surrounded　and　almost　canopied　with　honeysuckle；　where
doubtless　the　cobbler　sometimes　smoked　his　pipe！　〃Why　does　he　not
work　here　rather　than　in　the　archway？〃　thought　Donal。　　But；　dearly
as　he　loved　flowers　and　light　and　the　free　air　of　the　garden；　the
old　cobbler　loved　the　faces　of　his　kind　better。　　His　prayer　for
forty　years　had　been　to　be　made　like　his　master；　and　if　that　prayer
was　not　answered；　how　was　it　that；　every　year　he　lived；　he　found
himself　loving　the　faces　of　his　fellows　more　and　more？　　Ever　as　they
passed；　instead　of　interfering　with　his　contemplations；　they　gave
him　more　and　more　to　think：　were　these　faces；　he　asked；　the　symbols
of　a　celestial　language　in　which　God　talked　to　him？

Donal　sat　down；　and　took　his　Greek　Testament　from　his　pocket。　　But
all　at　once；　brilliant　as　was　the　sun；　the　light　of　his　life　went
out；　and　the　vision　rose　of　the　gray　quarry；　and　the　girl　turning
from　him　in　the　wan　moonlight。　　Then　swift　as　thought　followed　the
vision　of　the　women　weeping　about　the　forsaken　tomb；　and　with　his
risen　Lord　he　rose　alsointo　a　region　far　〃above　the　smoke　and　stir
of　this　dim　spot；〃　a　region　where　life　is　good　even　with　its　sorrow。
The　man　who　sees　his　disappointment　beneath　him；　is　more　blessed
than　he　who　rejoices　in　fruition。　　Then　prayer　awoke；　and　in　the
light　of　that　morning　of　peace　he　drew　nigh　the　living　one；　and　knew
him　as　the　source　of　his　being。　　Weary　with　blessedness　he　leaned
against　the　shadowing　honeysuckle；　gave　a　great　sigh　of　content；
smiled；　wiped　his　eyes；　and　was　ready　for　the　day　and　what　it　should
bring。　　But　the　bliss　went　not　yet；　he　sat　for　a　while　in　the　joy　of
conscious　loss　in　the　higher　life。　　With　his　meditations　and
feelings　mingled　now　and　then　a　few　muffled　blows　of　the　cobbler's
hammer：　he　was　once　more　at　work　on　his　disabled　shoe。

〃Here　is　a　true　man！〃　he　thought；　〃a　Godlike　helper　of　his
fellow！〃

When　the　hammer　ceased；　the　cobbler　was　stitching；　when　Donal　ceased
thinking；　he　went　on　feeling。　　Again　and　again　came　a　little　roll　of
the　cobbler's　drum；　giving　glory　to　God　by　doing　his　will：　the
sweetest　and　most　acceptable　music　is　that　which　rises　from　work　a
doing；　its　incense　ascends　as　from　the　river　in　its　flowing；　from
the　wind　in　its　blowing；　from　the　grass　in　its　growing。　　All　at　once
he　heard　the　voices　of　two　women　in　the　next　garden；　close　behind
him；　talking　together。

〃Eh；〃　said　one；　〃there's　that　godless　cratur；　An'rew　Comin；　at　his
wark　again　upo'　the　Sawbath　mornin'！〃

〃Ay；　lass；〃　answered　the　other；　〃I　hear　him！　　Eh；　but　it　'll　be　an
ill　day　for　him　whan　he　has　to　appear　afore　the　jeedge　o'　a'！　　He
winna　hae　his　comman'ments　broken　that　gait！〃

〃Troth；　na！〃　returned　the　former；　〃it'll　be　a　sair　sattlin　day　for
him！〃

Donal　rose；　and　looking　about　him；　saw　two　decent；　elderly　women　on
the　other　side　of　the　low　stone　wa